Thursday, Oct. 16, 2014 - Mason County Journal - Page A-15
Aberdeen resident pens
new Tomow novel
By NATALIE JOHNSON
natalie@masoncoun com
It has been more than 100 years
since John Tornow lived and died
deep in the woods of the Wynoochee
River Valley, but area residents still
can't stop talking about him.
Aberdeen resident Bill Lindstrom's
new book, "John Tornow: Villain or
Victim?" tells the untold story of the
man known as the Wildman of the Wy-
noochee.
"I wanted to make it about people
and the people who knew him and
have a far different John Tornow than
has been written about in books and
magazines," said Lindstrom, 72. "I hope
I have provided people with enough
information on the story ... so they can
form an educated opinion for them-
selves on what happened."
Tornow was killed in a shootout on
April 16, 1913, two years after he was
accused of killing his two adult nephews.
In the 19-month manhunt that followed,
Tornow is believed to be responsible for
the deaths of four sheriffs deputies.
Several histories of Tornow's life and
death have been written and published
in southwest Washington, in addition
to the oral histories passed down from
generation to generation in Grays Har-
bor and west Mason counties.
Lindstrom said his book stands out
from the other Tornow histories.
"There's a lot more than meets the
eye, than what's been publicized," Lind-
strom said.
Lindstrom's interest in Tornow be-
gan in 1986, when, as city editor of the
Aberdeen Daily World, he was assigned
to write about a man working to buy a
tombstone for Tornow's grave.
The story struck Lindstrom, and he
Journal photo by Natalie Johnson
Bill Lindstrom spent 28 years researching the life of hermit and alleged
killer John Tornow, His new book, "John Tornow: Villain or Victim?" explores
Tornow's history and includes previously unreleased facts about his life.
joined in the effort. Cloud also covered the case with a less
He never stopped researching the sensational style.
story of Tornow's life and the manhunt Lindstrom's historical nonfiction sto-
that ended it. ry, structured as a novel, follows Cloud
"The more (people) I talked to, the as he investigates the story.
more convoluted it became," he said. "They say write what you know,"
"I saw this wasn't just a story for the Lindstrom said. "I know a little about
newspaper -- this is the beginning of a newspapering."
book, I just didn't r alize it would take Lindstrom worked in the newspa-
me 28 years to finish it." per industry for almost 50 years. He
Lindstrom researched Tornow us- retired from the Aberdeen Daily World
ing period newspapers, census reports, in 2013.
genealogy records, and police and hos- Stories written by Cloud, and others
pital records, by Fred Bolt of the Tacoma Times, are
: : In Tornow's time, much of the cover- included in their entirety in "John
age about his alleged crimes --he was Tornow: Villain or Victim?" The story
never charged -- and the manhunt was covered in many newspapers in
that followed were given dramatic news Western W&shington, Lindstrom said.
coverage, Lindstrom said. "This was not just a small-town
• Montesano Vidette reporter Dan story," Lindstrom said.
BOOK SIGNINGS:
4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Nov. 18, Elma Timberland
Library, 1t8 N. First St., Elma
6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Nov. 25, Shelton Timberland
Library, 710W. Alder St.
6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Dec, 4 at the McCleary Tim-
berland Library, 121 S. Fourth St.
5 p.m. Dec. 5 at the Mason County Historical
Museum, 427 W. Railroad Ave.
Every character in the book but one
is a real person involved in the Tornow
story, Lindstrom said.
"I didn't want a bland history book,"
Lindstrom said. "What I wanted was
something that would engross people in
the story from the time they picked it
up to the time they put it down."
Some books on Tornow question
whether he was guilty of any 0fthe
crimes he was accused of. Lindstrom said
he doesn't dispute that Tornow killed the
men but said he believes the shootings
were accidental or in self-defense.
Lindstrom debunks some parts of
Tornow's life previously thought to be
facts. For example, Lindstrom said Tor-
now was never committed to a mental
institution in O~egon, as his brother
Fred said during the manhunt.
The book also includes about a dozen
conspiracy theories onthe case, he said.
"I have my opinions on what I think
happened. Nobody knows because
nobody was there," he said. "Things
might have been a lot different if they
had let him live his life in the wild as a
hermit."
"John Tornow: Villain or Victim?"
is published by Xlibris and is
available online at amazon.com and
barnesandnoble.com.
HIIRSTINE ISLAND NEWS
It is difficult for me to be- others have been working on
lieve that Thanksgiving is the Harstine Island Commu-
a little more than a month nity Hall Centennial Celebra-
away. I have to say it again -- tion. Sandy sent in this news
aren't those maples with release:
the dancing red, orange "The island has
and yellow leaves just had a great time this
beautiful as they frolic year celebrating our
in the crisp fall air? community hall in its
Most of us are enjoy- 100th year. As with
ing apple cider from last any special event, it
week's squeeze. The is now time for the
event has become a Centennial Celebra-
part of the island, and tion to come to a
it is one we all look By MIKE close. This Saturday
CALLAGttAN
forward to. There was is the time'capsule
an added apple press in dedication -- our
action this year. Bill and Or- final event. The doors will
pha McGloughlin donated an open at 2 p,m. for those of you
antique apple press from the interested in viewing the items
1800s. Although the old press going into the time capsule. If
is ftm to operate for an apple you miss this viewing, you will
or two, it reminds us just how need to wait another 50 years
lucky we are to have that thing until the capsule is opened
called electricity. Thank you, again. The ceremony will begin
Billand Orpha, for your dona- at 3 p.m. and will close with a
tion. performance by the Harstine
For the pastthree years, Island choir. Many of the clubs
Sandy Murphy and a host of and i~landers have donated
items, including a letter to the
future, which will be opened
in 2064. The garden area is
being redone and, once com-
pleted, will house the time cap-
sule. Come and join us for this
final event and welcome in the
beginning of the hall's second
100 years."
The last senior lunch for
October will include baked
chicken, mashed potatoes
with gravy, green beans, rolls
and brownies. It will be on
the menu for Oct. 29. Serv-
ing starts at noon, but come
early and visit with friends.
Everyone older than 50 and
their guests are welcome. Next
m0nth' lunch program will
include a Thanksgiving dinner.
Each winter, the Harstine
Island Community Club spon-
sors a three-part series of
speakers popularly referred to
as Inquiring Minds. Normally,
the attendees of the November
community club meeting vote
from a ballot for speakers who
come from Humanities Wash-
ington's Speaker Bureau. How-
ever, deadlines have changed
from last year, and organizers
need to get their booking done
by Oct. 31. Arlen Morris, chair
of the committee, is asking
anyone who is interested to go
to humanities.org look over the
speakers' bureau roster and
call or email forward choices to
her at 432-9712 or arltim2@q.
com. They will choose from the
requests that come in.
Every year, the community
club puts on an event to say
thanks to everyone on the is-
land for their membership and
cooperation. This yeads Ock-
toberfest was a~ain just spec-
tacular. Early in the day, club
members were in the kitchen
cooking the brats. The bever-
ages were placed on ice getting
chilled for the crowd. When
the doors opened at 5:30 p.m.,
islanders were there bring-
ing potluck dishes that were
outstanding. Every chair and
table was used to seat the
crowd. Although the free beer
and brats were great, the real
excitement of the night was the
introduction of the three Hon-
ored Citizens of the Year and
the Citizen of the Year. One
of the things that made the
introductions so fun was that
the introducer tried to keep the
recipient a mystery until the
end. Of course, everyone in the
room was trying to guess who
it was, and as the introducer
read, you could see heads turn
and nod as they deciphered
the clues. The three Honored
Citizens this year were Sharon
Zeeben, John Strasburger and
Wendy Cobb. And the grand
finale, the Citizen o£ the Year,
was Jan Irving. In the next few
columns, I will share with you
the stories the presenters used
to introduce the winners.
• Mike Callaghan lives on
Harstine Island. He can be
emailed at sobadog@msn.com.
rH[ ~ i! IIii I i i!lll! I
